VOLKER LOESCHCKE - Temperature adaptation

In my group, we study thermal adaptations using Drosophila as a model organism. We ask if temperature conditions are the primary factor for adaptations to thermal gradients using experimental evolution and by simulating thermal gradients in climate chambers. In collaboration with a Brazilian colleague, Carlos Navas, we study if behavior is driving adaptations in thermal landscapes.

We try to relate studies on the DNA level (genome, transcriptome, proteome and metabolome) with the study of phenotypes and try to create ecologically relevant scenarios. We compare physiological (plastic) and evolutionary adaptations and are interested in fluctuating and unpredictable environments, variation in day length, diet composition and the role of the microbiome for thermal resistance.

We are also interested in other climate related tolerance traits and life span, their genetic architecture, phylogenetic constraints and correlations and interactions between traits as well as transgenerational effects.